Method of making vehicle-axles



e. M. CARTER.

METHOD OF MAKING VEHICLE AXLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZO, 1920- Patented July 26, 1921.

INVENTUH UNITED STATES GEORGE MILLER CARTER, OF FINDLAY,

BIG, ASSIGNOR O1?v ONE-HALE TO RALPH H.

ROSENBERG, OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

METHOD OF MAKING VEHICLE-AXLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July as, 1921.

Application filed May 20, 1920. Serial No. 382,781.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE MiLLER CAR- run, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Findlay, in the county of Han- 5 cock andState of Ohio, have made an Invention Appertaining to Methods of MakingVehicle-Axles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to thecharacters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification. 4 i

This invention relates to vehicle axles and to a method of providing thesame with the customary spring pads.

In the manufacture of front axles for motor driven vehicles it has beencustomary to provide the top thereof with an integral broadened,flattened portion adjacent to each end of the axle to form a springsupporting pad, and these portions are usually of considerably greaterlength than required to support the springs so as to accommodate thespacing of the springs of the particular vehicle to which applied.

The object of the invention is the provision of a strong, simple andefficient spring pad for vehicle axles, which when first assembled isseparate from the axle and is adjustable thereon to suit the desiredspacing of the springs, after which it may be elec trically welded orotherwise integrally united with the axle, thereby obviating theprovision of prolonged spring pads on the axle, saving the expense ofmanufacture and improving the appearance of the axle.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, andwhile, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerousforms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a front axle, having spring pads securedthereon in conformance with the invention. Fig. Qis an enlargedcross-section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an enlargedbottom perspective viewof one of the pads.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a front vehicle axle ofcustomary I-beam cross-section, and 2, 2 spring pads therefor. 55 Thepads 2 are preferably of forged metal and of plate form, being adaptedto rest on the top of the axle and having their upper surfaces flat topermit the seating of springs thereon. The pads are of greater lengththan the width of the axle to adapt their opposite end edges to extendbeyond the side edges of the axle, and the pads are provided at theirfour corners wlthout the edges of the axle with eyes 3 for receiving theends of U-bolts or other means employed to clamp the springs thereon.

Each pad 2 is provided on its under side adjacent to its ends, or ateach side of the axle with lugs or spurs 4: adapted to be bent or rolledunder the respective top edge flange of an axle to retain the pad andaxle in assembled relation. These lugs are preferably two in number ateach side of the axle, but may be more or less.

When a pad has been placed in proper spring supporting position on anaxle with its lugs 4 in holding engagement therewith, the pad and axleare welded together electrically or in any other suitable manner toprovide a strong integral connection therebetween.

It is evident that I have provided a simple axle of'the type havingspring pads thereon, that the pads may be positioned to suit the spacingof the springs for the particular vehicle in connection with which theaxle is used and that when positioned the pads may be easily and quicklysecured to the axle in an integrally connected manner, thereby making aneat job when completed and obviating the prolonged pad portionscustomarily provided on axles.

I wish it understood that the invention is not limited to any specificconstruction or arrangement of the parts, except in so far as suchlimitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. The method of producing an axle with an integral spring pad,consisting in providing the axle with opposed side flanges, providing aplate having bendable depending members spaced transversely of the axle,placing the plate on the axle top to form a spring pad therefor with itsde ending members disposed at opposite si es of the axle, bending themembers under the side flanges of the axle in firm engagement treatingthe members and axle'to integrally weld the two.

3. The method of producing an axle with a spring pad thereon, consistingin provid- 15 ing the axle with opposed edge flanges at its top,providing a plate having depending lugs spaced transversely of the axle,placing the plate on the axle to form a spring pad therefor with itslugs disposed at opposite 20 sides of the axle, bending the lugs underthe edge flanges of the axle in firm engagement therewith, and thentreating the plate and axle to integrally unite the two. 7 i

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to thisspecification.

GEORGE MILLER CARTER

